Weather Roller Coaster Approaches Pasadena

A cooling trend settles in as the weekends, with a series of storms bringing much-needed rain and a touch of winter magic to the mountains.

Starting tonight, the northern reaches of the county can expect scattered showers, a light sprinkle to chase away the dust. But the real party starts late Friday as a vigorous storm system sweeps in, bringing rain and mountain snow.

Rain is expected across the entire region on Friday and Saturday, with a slight chance of thunderstorms adding some dramatic flair. Brief downpours and even a sprinkle of hail could be in the mix.

Prepare for a cool down as the storm rolls in. Highs will dip into the low 50s, a stark contrast to the recent sunshine. Bundle up and enjoy a cozy weekend by the fireplace.

The wet weather won’t last forever. Skies are expected to clear by next week, with a warming trend bringing back the California sunshine we all know and love.

Here’s the latest weather forecast for Pasadena from the National Weather Service as of 4:18 a.m. Thursday morning:

Today: Patchy fog before 11am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 67. East southeast wind 5 to 15 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.

Tonight: A 20 percent chance of rain after 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming east southeast after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 15 mph.

Friday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 60. East southeast wind around 10 mph becoming south in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 15 mph.

Friday Night: Rain, mainly after 11pm. Low around 47. Breezy, with a southeast wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Saturday: Rain. High near 53. South southeast wind 10 to 15 mph decreasing to 5 to 10 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible.

Saturday Night: Rain before 11pm, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 11pm. Low around 44. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Sunday: A chance of showers, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 11am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 57. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Sunday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 11pm, then a slight chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 45.

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 65.

Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 46.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 73.

Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 51.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 76.